EliteXC Holds Onto Its Fighters, Claims It’s Still in the MMA Business

EliteXC went out of business last month, canceling its upcoming fights and closing its doors. But the company is now telling its fighters that their contracts are still valid, and they aren't free agents.

In fact, EliteXC even claims that it's going to promote a show in 2009. GracieFighter.com reports:

EliteXC representatives have vowed that they will continue operations and will be planning a show in early 2009. Most of the major EliteXC fighters under contract have been notified.

Lead counsel for the organization has informed us that contrary to popular beleif, EliteXC has not filed for bankruptcy and has merely scaled down their staff.

This will be a setback for all EliteXC fighters currently under contract as they will be unable to fight in other organizations without the express written permission of EliteXC. Barring a judicial ruling, EliteXC fighters could be hampered from signing with another organization.

I don't think EliteXC is actually going to promote any fights in 2009, but I do think that claiming they're going to promote fights in 2009 allows them to hold onto their fighter contracts.

In other words, the company is screwing the fighters.

That's bad news for guys like Jake Shields, who will get offers from the UFC and other MMA organizations just as soon as he becomes a free agent. But he apparently won't become a free agent just yet.

The good news is that some fighters, including Nick Diaz and Eddie Alvarez, are still able to fight in Japan, as they've done this year while under contract to EliteXC. I'm hoping the Diaz-Alvarez fight that was originally scheduled to be part of the November 8 EliteXC show will now be part of a New Year's Eve show in Japan. And I'm hoping all the EliteXC fighters will be able to get back to fighting soon, no matter how hard the company clings to their contracts.